Beauty and the Dark One
by Sabrina Bartlett
Summary: Henry lends Belle his copy of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and she asks Gold to watch it with her. He is not impressed with his representation in the movie, but sits through the entire thing after seeing how happy it makes Belle.


A/N: _Once Upon a Time_ and all characters are the property of ABC and show creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis. _Beauty and the Beast _and all characters are the property of Walt Disney Pictures. I own nothing, and I make no profit from this work. I am a huge fan of the show, and of Disney, and my writing is one way I hope to show my appreciation and spread the word about it. If you enjoy this story and have not yet seen the show, I encourage you to watch it. Thank you for reading!

Edit (05/18/2013): Thanks to Nosside for pointing out that the library Rumplestiltskin gave to Belle in _Lacey_ had a bed in it. I had not noticed that before! After rewatching that scene, I have edited this fic to reflect that.

* * *

Gold turned his key in the lock of his house. It had been a long week, what with the aftermath of the curse breaking. He had decided to close the shop down for the weekend. Now that Belle was back with him, he had better things to do with his time.

Belle stood up from her seat on the sofa to greet him as he entered the living room, balancing on his cane. "Hi," she said, walking up to him, her hands held in front of her. Gold could understand her feeling uneasy. He was happy to have her back, of course, but things felt weird between them. He supposed there was good reason for that. They hadn't exactly left things well between them back at the Dark Castle.

Every time he looked at her, he couldn't stop himself from feeling angry about what Regina had done to her. It pained him, but he tried not to show it. He pushed past his anger and replied to her with a quiet, "Hey."

She smiled at him, and this invited a smile back. She looked relieved, and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. After a slight pause, his arms came around her, too, returning her embrace. The hesitation made it clear that he was still shocked that Belle was finally his to hold, alive and really there with him.

Their embrace over, Belle reached down to take his free hand and lead him over to the sofa. He followed as quickly as he could, limping on his bad leg.

"How was your day?" he asked her when they were seated. "Are you comfortable here?" Anything would probably feel comfortable after the twenty-eight years she spent in the asylum, but Gold couldn't help but worry about her.

She nodded. "Very, thank you. I went into town this afternoon, to Granny's. I met that young boy – Henry."

Gold raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

"I know he's her son. Regina's," she clarified, seemingly reading his mind. "But he was really friendly. He gave me this." Belle reached over to the coffee table to pick up the large book of stories that Gold had often seen Henry carrying around town, the words _Once Upon a Time_ engraved on the cover. She flipped through the pages until she reached an illustration of her, wearing her yellow gown, standing next to her father, a book clasped to her chest. "It's our story," she said to Gold, holding the book closer to him so that he could see. He wasn't very interested. It was a story that had ran through his head thousands of times by then. He was all too familiar with it, and he never could change the way it had played out.

Flipping to the last page, featuring an illustration of him placing Belle's chipped cup on a pedestal in his spinning room, she sighed. "I only wish it had a happier ending." She slammed the book shut and slid it back on to the table. "But that doesn't matter now." She reached again for his hand, giving it a squeeze. "Now we're together."

Gold turned to look at her, smiling, pushing thoughts of the past to the back of his mind. His thumb came up to brush over her lower lip, and he leaned in toward her. She moved forward slightly, her lips meeting with his. He considered himself a lucky man to finally be able to kiss her again. After their first and only kiss in the Dark Castle, when he rejected her, he never thought he would get the chance again. And when Regina had told him she was dead, any hopes he had had died, too.

She pulled away. "Henry told me that versions of the lives of those who lived in the Enchanted Forest are well-known in this world. They've written books about us."

This caused Gold to smile even wider. "Of course you would find that fascinating," he said. He hadn't forgotten how much Belle loved books.

Belle smiled, seemingly pleased that he had remembered that about her. "Henry told me that some of our stories had also been turned into movies." She said the word uncertainly, like a question. "He tried to explain them to me. They're like paintings that move." Her hands were gesturing wildly, trying to convey her definition.

Gold laughed, but not cruelly. Sometimes he forgot that Belle knew nothing of this world. "I know what a movie is," he said, still laughing. "I suppose that was one benefit of Regina's curse; I now have knowledge of this world as well as our own."

"Right," Belle said. "Well, Henry told me about a movie based on our story. I think it's probably meant for children, but he leant me his copy anyway. I was wondering if, maybe . . . you'd like to watch it with me?"

He could tell by her face that she was hoping he would agree, but wasn't expecting him to. She looked surprised when he said, "Alright. What's it called, then?"

She grimaced. "_Beauty and the Beast_." At his disgusted reaction, she said, "Well, that _is_ what Papa called you. As did I a few times, admittedly. I suppose some details were emphasized in this version more than others." She looked down at her lap. "We don't have to watch it. It was just an idea I had."

Gold raised his hand in a way she recognized. "Permission to use magic?" When she gave him a confused look, he said, "Just to put the movie on, sweetheart. And only if you'll allow me to."

After the incident with the wraith earlier this week, he didn't want to lose her trust again. He had promised himself right then that he wouldn't use magic without her consent. He couldn't risk losing her over his power. Not again.

"Go ahead," she said kindly, nodding to indicate that she was fine with it.

With a wave of Gold's hand, the case containing the movie opened, and the VHS rose into the air, only to zoom into the VCR beneath the television.

He waved his hand yet again, and the television lit up to show a blue screen with a picture of a white castle in the background. The name "Walt Disney" appeared in the foreground.

Belle inched closer to Gold, leaning into his side. He hadn't even realized he'd been tense until he felt himself relax against her. He leaned his cane against the sofa and then let it go, putting one arm around Belle's waist and using his free hand to hold one of hers.

The movie began with an image of a castle set against a beautiful, lush landscape. A voice began to tell the story, while a quiet melody played in the background. It told of a young, selfish prince who lived alone in the castle. One night, an old woman came to ask for shelter, in exchange for a rose, but the prince was so disgusted by her ugliness that he turned her away. To the prince's surprise, the woman transformed into an enchantress, and cursed him to live as an ugly beast unless and until he could earn the love of a woman, before the last petal of her rose fell.

"The prince," Belle said hesitantly. "Is that supposed to be . . . you?"

Gold waved his hand, and the image on the television froze. "Well, from the title, I would say yes. This is unbelievable. I was never a prince. I was not transformed into a beast by any enchantress. And I was just a few hundred years past my adolescence by the time I struck my deal with you."

Belle squeezed his hand. "I know," she said. "But the pictures and music are so beautiful. Can't we just watch a little more?"

It might have been the Dark One's only weakness; he could not say no to Belle. So he sighed and waved his hand again, and the image on the screen changed to a view of a small village. Soon, a young woman came into the scene, and Belle recognized her immediately.

"That's me!" she said excitedly, pointing at the screen. "Look, that's my hair. And that looks like the dress you made for me in the Dark Castle."

Gold nodded thoughtfully. "I'll admit they did a better job with you than they did with me. Although they didn't get your eyes right." He took that opportunity to stare right into the blue eyes of the real Belle. They were beautiful and, in his opinion, one of her best features. "Pity."

Belle blushed before returning her gaze to the movie, where her on-screen self was heading to a bookshop. "And she loves books, too," Belle said. "I know I wasn't a peasant, but that is sort of what Avonlea looked like." She sighed, a little sad, a little happy. "I do miss Avonlea."

Looking over at Belle, her eyes fixated on the screen, Gold decided he would watch the entire movie with her, if that's what she wanted. Even with its many inaccuracies, it seemed to remind her of home, the home that he took her from, the home she would likely never see again. If seeing this animated version made her happy, then it would make him happy, too.

A large brute of a man appeared on the screen, a hunting rifle in hand. When his name was announced, Belle began to laugh loudly. "_That's_ Gaston?" she exclaimed. "Oh, I don't think he would like this."

Gold was trying hard to hide a smirk. _He_ liked this. The man on his screen was exactly how he had perceived Gaston on the two occasions he had met him: arrogant and foolish. It was nice to see a Belle that was so obviously disgusted by his antics.

"I wonder what ever happened to him," his Belle said thoughtfully.

"Yes, I wonder," Gold said distractedly, even though he knew very well what had become of Gaston. Belle had cut off his stem and placed him in a vase, and over the days he had wilted away until she finally tossed him in the garden to decompose.

When the Belle in the movie managed to fend off Gaston, she headed to her home, where Belle and Gold were finally able to get a glimpse at her papa.

Belle began laughing. "Can you imagine my papa as an inventor?" she asked Gold, patting his leg playfully.

He shook his head and said, "No, I can't." He didn't really have an opinion on the matter, but Belle was enjoying herself, so he decided to play along. Indeed, he found he was enjoying himself, too.

As the movie continued, Belle put her feet up on the sofa, lying back so that she was resting her head on Gold's thigh. He wasn't yet used to having her this close. They hadn't been this close in years. He didn't know what to do with his hands, and for a moment he just held them awkwardly in the air. Finally, he allowed himself to relax, running his fingers through her hair. He was relieved when she didn't seem to mind.

For a while he just looked down at her, feeling at peace. She was so focused on her movie that she didn't notice his staring. No matter how much he looked at her, or touched her, he still had trouble believing that she was truly alive, real.

"Look!" Belle said, pointing at the screen. Gold turned to see what she was looking at. "It's my chipped cup!"

Indeed it was, only it was much plainer looking than the real artifact, and possessed eyes and a mouth and was capable of speech. It wasn't the only object moving around and talking, either. Belle's movie father was seated in the castle, surrounded by a talking teapot, candlestick and clock.

"The Dark Castle would have been a lot more fun if your furniture had talked, Rumple," Belle commented jokingly.

"Hmm," Gold answered, his fingers still stroking her hair. "Fun" was not a word he could have ever imagined using to describe his fortress.

Much like how it happened in real life, in the movie, Belle agreed to live with the Beast in his castle (which looked an awful lot like the Dark Castle, if Gold was being honest with himself) in exchange for her father's freedom. Now, there was no Ogre War raging in Belle's village in the movie, but it was still a noble sacrifice, and real-life Belle was pleased.

The Beast led movie Belle from the dungeon to a bedroom in the castle. Gold tensed at seeing this, but Belle was kind enough not to point out this particular inaccuracy. In real life, it had taken Gold weeks before he had moved Belle from her sleeping quarters in the dungeons to a comfortable bed in his library. He tried to remind himself that that had been a long time ago, and that he he had been a different man back then, hardly a man at all, but it didn't help.

The movie seemed rather foolish to Gold, especially the elaborate musical number with singing cutlery. But Belle was entranced, laughing and humming under her breath. She shifted every once in a while, changing her position on the sofa to stay comfortable. Gold hardly noticed that he was still stroking her hair; the movement had become automatic, like he had been doing it his whole life. The movie became interesting to him again when the Beast lost his temper, and Belle, terrified, fled the castle, into the night.

"Well, isn't that a familiar scene?" he said quietly. Belle tilted her head back to look at him.

"It would be," Belle said, "had it not been for your magic. I couldn't even step foot outside the Dark Castle. Every door I opened brought me back to the same room."

Gold felt suddenly guilty, and angry at his past self. "I'm so sorry, Belle." He could feel tears forming in his eyes, and hoped she hadn't heard his voice breaking.

She looked at him again. "That's the past, Rumple. It's part of _our_ past. And it's only important because it led us to this moment, to being together." Not for the first time, he was both surprised and grateful for her forgiveness.

On the screen, Belle was attacked by wolves, only to be rescued by the Beast, who was injured in the process. Instead of running away, Belle helped the Beast back to his castle and dressed his wounds.

What followed was another musical number, where the Beast and Belle seemed to fall in love within minutes. During those minutes, the Beast led Belle to a large room, and, opening her eyes, she found herself in a library.

The real Belle, lying on Gold's lap, smiled widely at that. "Oh, I am so glad they kept that part in. That's just like the library you gave me, Rumple."

"I think the one I gave you was nicer, actually," he said. She raised her eyebrows at him. "But it is nice that they included it."

"I think that was the moment," Belle said thoughtfully.

Gold didn't understand. "What moment?"

"The moment," she said, "that I started to fall for you."

"Really?" he asked. "That soon after my murderous hunt for Robin Hood?"

"You let him go," Belle reminded him. "So yes. That soon."

She had hugged him that day. He remembered that. That was the day she had seemed to finally start looking at him like the man he had long ago stopped believing he was. That day, he had been falling for her, as well.

The next scene that caught Gold's eye was a lavish ballroom. Belle entered the scene wearing the same dress she had been wearing when Gold had first laid eyes on her. "It looks just like mine, doesn't it?" Belle said, eyeing the golden gown. As the Beast and Belle danced, she asked, "Why did we never dance, Rumple?"

Gold sighed sadly. "Maybe because when you finally got close enough to me for dancing to be an option, I forced you out of the Dark Castle."

"Oh," Belle said quietly. "Right." After a few more moments of silence, she said, "We should go dancing sometime."

Gold couldn't recall a time in recent memory when he had danced. But it would make Belle happy, so he said, "Wonderful idea." The thought of holding Belle close to him, swaying back and forth, and forgetting about the rest of the world for a few precious moments didn't seem so bad to him.

In the movie, the Beast allowed Belle to return to her father, who was sick. Both Belle and Gold were reminded of the time he let Belle leave, for the same reason the Beast did: he loved her. Just as in real life, the movie Belle eventually returned to the castle. In this case, it was to save the Beast from Gaston, of all people, after being temporarily delayed by that same fiend.

Back at the castle, a struggle ensued between the Beast and Gaston, and the Beast was fatally injured. This caused Belle to finally confess her love for him, and he was miraculously revived and transformed back into his princely form. The couple kissed, and the scene shifted to the ballroom, where they danced among the other residents of the castle, who had also been transformed into humans again. They had their happy ending. The movie was over.

"That could have been us," Gold said as the credits rolled. He hadn't meant to say it out loud, not really. Belle flipped over, so that she was stretched across the sofa on her stomach.

"Rumple," she said imploringly. "That _can_ be us. That _is_ us. We're getting our happily ever after, aren't we? Just a little later, that's all." She stretched out, pushing herself up on her hands in order to reach his lips for a kiss. "Just like the Beast, you transformed. You're giving up your dark magic. We can be together."

As usual, she was right. Gold didn't know how he had managed to get a woman as beautiful and intelligent as her to fall in love with him. Most likely, he never would. She sat up, and he pulled her into him for another kiss. For a while, they sat there, entangled in each other's arms, with nothing but the sound of their breathing.

Finally, Gold broke the silence. It was nearly seven already. "How about some dinner?" he asked, patting his thighs with his hands as he sat up. He reached for his cane and then turned to look at Belle.

She nodded once, smiling. "That would be lovely," she said, taking his hand as they stood up off the couch. When they entered the kitchen, Belle leaned against the counter and watched Gold as he searched through his cupboards for pots and pans.

"You know," she remarked, "I'm sure cooking would be a lot easier if you had magical dancing dishware."

Gold turned to her and gave her a look that would have caused any creature in the Enchanted Forest to cower. But his darling Belle, his Beauty, just laughed, and the sound filled every crevice of his kitchen, and he smiled. With someone like her in his life, how could he not?


End file.
